We think that it is really important to understand previous policies – how they worked, what went well and what challenges they faced. This is essential to help us to build on and adapt the best ideas from the past, and to avoid repeatedly falling into the same traps. We are publishing a series of reports to inform this work – some look back at a single policy from the past to understand what lessons can be learned, while others, such as Honourable Histories, look back across several decades of policy to see emerging patterns and trends.
Our Latest Report
Curriculum in FE Colleges over time: Illustrations of change and continuity
Our most recent publication in our Learning from the Past series by Professor Prue Huddleston and Professor Lorna Unwin delves into the evolution of curriculum in FE colleges since the 19th century. Tensions between and shifts in demand from students and employers, national government policies, and economic conditions have informed the curriculum, influencing the balance between general and specialised study, enrichment, and affordability. With the skills agenda becoming more prominent than ever in policy discussion, the history of curriculum in Further Education (FE) colleges can help inform thinking about the way provision is conceptualized and designed today.
Individual Policy Reviews
Thematic Reports
We have also collated and commissioned a range of other important reports and resources that reflect on policy history – you can access these below: